r/TeardropTrailers • u/jazznfishin • 6d ago

Camper Weight

Hi Everyone, I’m considering trying to build myself a teardrop or square-drop trailer. I’ve watched several YouTube videos on the subject and despite my very limited experience with tools and building things, it looks like something that I could manage with research, planning, and attention to detail.

One thing I noticed in the videos that I’ve watched is that the videos seem to focus on monetary budget. While that is a concern for me, my main concern is the weight. very few of the videos say anything about the weight of the finished product. my main budget deals with weight because the towing vehicle is a Honda CRV Hybrid with a max towing weight of 1000 lbs.

From what I can tell, it seems as though building a foamie is probably my best option. Is it even possible to build a wood framed trailer and have the ultimate wet weight come in at 1000 lbs or less? Would you agree with my conclusion that a foamie is my best option?

Any advice on the process, must haves / must avoids, sources of information, or really anything you might deem worthy of knowing about the process would be greatly appreciated.

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5

u/Latter-Lavishness-65 6d ago

The CLC Teardrop Camper is about 600pounds built so it is possible to build a very light wood teardrop. The teardrop can't have all the latest stuff in it however and keep the weight down.

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u/Latter-Lavishness-65 6d ago edited 6d ago

You may want to build one of their beginner level boat kits first before doing the teardrop that they say is an intermediate level kit. The video in the overview section of the page seems to give a good amount of information on the build and steps needed to build it.

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u/experimentalengine 6d ago

I built one, it was my first CLC kit but if you’re patient and can really pay attention to details it’s not too bad. Watch all of their videos on fiberglass and epoxy work, watch them again, and watch them again.

Totally worth the effort and it’s a guaranteed conversation starter anywhere you take it.

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u/Latter-Lavishness-65 6d ago

Can you give the weight of your finished build and if it is sub 1000 pound?

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u/experimentalengine 6d ago

I put it on the Trailex aluminum trailer they offer (which is expensive but nice) and based on their claim of 600 lbs, I expect mine is roughly 800 lbs loaded up and ready to roll. I built the storage box and galley insert, not sure if those are factored into their 600 lb figure, and then my cooler and a few totes with camping supplies.

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u/EternalMage321 6d ago

It's not impossible, but you can't really pack anything in the camper. You just won't have the extra capacity. You also won't be able to have a galley. Basically, a foamie with a single manufactured door, or 2 doors if you do them yourself and make them from foam.

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u/MilitantPotato 6d ago edited 6d ago

Just a heads up, if that tow ratings is actually 1000lbs, that's with just a 150lb driver and nothing else in the car.

If that's true, what you're trying to do seems impractical if not impossible. You won't have the payload, axle weight rating, and likely tongue weight to build much of anything beyond an open cargo trailer 600lbs or less after being loaded. I suppose you could make something, but it would be a struggle, and probably have a ton of downsides vs just a tent or swag bag.

Just looked it up, a tongue weight limit of 100lbs is...bad. that's maybe a 700lb trailer, again likely with nothing in the vehicle to keep under payload and axle ratings which are a bit harder to find, and probably are vehicle specific for how much you have available.

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u/Latter-Lavishness-65 5d ago

I did a fast Google on the crv hybrid

It came back with a payload of 850lb and a towing of 1000lb. Which sounds a bit better than your doom of a payload of 250lb for a four seat car.

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u/MilitantPotato 5d ago

Never said a payload weight. The tongue weight limit of 100lbs means a maximum of a 666lb trailer with 15% tongue weight.

Just cause it has extra payload left over doesn't mean any of the other weights aren't over capacity.

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u/A8racada8ra 6d ago

Operating a tow vehicle at its maximum rating is foolish. I would spend a few moments educating yourself on the various aspects of trailering, specifically tongue weights. I also might spend the money to rent a trailer of equivalent weight and see how the vehicle responds.

Having regularly towed 1800-2000 lb teardrop (with brakes) over mountains using much more rugged vehicles with tow ratings of 6000-6500 lbs, I do not think you’d enjoy the experiment you are proposing. But maybe you are in the flats and a transmission replacement isn’t a concern.

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u/Sawfish1212 6d ago

You can build a basic foamie well under 1,000 lbs. But you need to think about what you want to bring along on the trip. Your bedding, clothes, food, cooking kit, camp chairs, awning, etc, etc.

What is the gross vehicle weight rating? It's usually not as easy to find for smaller vehicles, but it should be published somewhere. That's your total weight allowance for people and stuff, including the vehicle and trailer.

You can definitely do it, buy you'll need to pick and pack like one of those ultra lightweight long distance hiking snobs who sort of parody themselves on r/lightweight_jerk

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u/redmountainbike 6d ago

The Teardrops 'n Tiny Travel Trailers forum is a great resource. TnTTT.com

This is a subsection titled Towing and Tow Vehicles.

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u/jazznfishin 5d ago

Thanks for the replies everyone. Based on the info provided, it sounds like this project may not be impossible, but it very well may be completely impractical. It honestly sounds like the potential weight might make it extremely difficult to build something that has all of the features that I need/want to get out of it. So, as cool as having one of those small campers might be, what I would be able to get out of it might make it not really worth the time, money, and effort. Maybe in the future with a different vehicle.

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u/Downtown_Ad_5458 20h ago edited 20h ago

Go with the lightest possible option. The very best way to trash your CRV transmission is to start pulling a 1000 lb camper with it. 😅 it’s not just camper weight - you have to factor in the weight of water, food, camping gear, bikes, etc, which will be hundreds of pounds extra.

A cautionary story, YMMV: When I was a senior in high school, long before the internet existed, I built a small wood sailboat from scratch using detailed plans I bought from Popular Mechanics. It was a very good learning experience. Took a year of taking over my parent’s carport, made some big mistakes, that could only partially be corrected, but I finished it. I soon found out at the lake it was heavier, and much more cumbersome & difficult to handle & sail than an off-the-rack small light boat like a Sunfish. I was happy to sell it a year later, for about 20% of what it cost me to build. 😳😆 I would have been a lot better off just buying a used sailboat...

In my case before I started building, I had sailed with a friend & his father a few times so I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into, regarding trailering, setup, and takedown of the mast and sail on every outing.

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u/Warm-Photograph2555 6d ago

1000 pounds seems crazy... 🤔 I'm putting a hit him on my 2005 honda element and the hitch says its rated to 3500 trailer weight and 300lb tongue weight 

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u/Hopwater 6d ago

The Element is rated for 1500 lb despite what your hitch says

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u/csimonson 6d ago

look into what the element can tow with trailer brakes. It should be close to 3500.

My Audi A3 is 3350 lbs and over in Europe the tow rating with trailer brakes is 3500. Kinda crazy.